The Impacts of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Strategies on Listening Comprehension Performance in Preparation Courses

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) investigate the listening challenges faced by third-year students and 2) assess their satisfaction with strategies aimed at enhancing their performance on the TOEIC listening test. This was done by comparing their test results before and after instruction, using the ETS TOEIC 1000 Vol 1 exam and focusing on the application of Bottom-Up and Top-Down Processing strategies in Parts 3 and 4. The study sample consisted of 155 third-year students from the University of Labor and Social Affairs (HCM City Campus). The course spanned 16 weeks, covering 192 periods. A One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design was used for the experiment. The research tools included 48 lesson plans incorporating Bottom-Up and Top-Down Processing strategies, an achievement test based on the ETS TOEIC 1000 Vol 1 exam with 100 questions (495 points in total), a student satisfaction questionnaire regarding the listening strategies, and a dependent t-test for analysis. The results revealed that students encountered difficulties in all sections of the TOEIC listening test. The high percentage of incorrect answers indicated challenges across various listening skills, including listening for specific details, identifying the main idea, making inferences or conclusions, and predicting outcomes. However, after being taught Bottom-Up and Top-Down Processing strategies, the students' scores on the achievement test improved compared to their pre-instruction performance. Both strategies were shown to significantly enhance listening skills and test-taking abilities for the TOEIC exam, with statistical significance at the .01 level. The findings suggest that using both Bottom-Up and Top-Down strategies together is essential for effective listening. Activities that integrate these strategies are beneficial across all listening skills, and this approach helps students become more proficient listeners in everyday situations